Scrotal support



Oct. 20, 1964 c. ussc 3,153,412

SCROTAL SUPPORT Filed May 27, 1963 ,FIG.

W [W numiw m INVENTOR v ANNA CATHERINE LAUB BY ldV/JJQW ATTORNEY United States Patent Filed May 27, 1963, Ser. No. 283,366 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-432) The present invention relates to scrotal supports and its principal object is to provide a simple device which can be applied to a male patient, by himself or by a nurse or other attendant, which will elevate and support the scrotum and genital organs while the patient is bedridden and is using the bedpan or while the patient is seated at stool.

In the case of male patients suffering from various disabling disorders in hospitals, nursing homes and even in the homes of the patients themselves, it frequently becomes the unpleasant duty of the nursing attendant to engage in extensive cleaning and cleansing operations after uncontrolled or unexpected bowel movements in which the external genital organs become soiled by reason of their depending into the bedpan or the toilet bowl. This is a particular prevalent condition in mental hospitals and homes for the senile aged, as will be understood by those having experience in the care of male inmates of such institutions.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to alleviate this condition by providing a supporting appliance or device which will hold the parts up above the area of fecal discharge, which can be readily applied and will be capable of being comfortably worn and securely positioned, and which can be manufactured at very low cost and which can be easily cleaned and kept clean.

A related purpose is to facilitate and render less painful the post-operative dressing of hydrocele and similar surgical cases.

Other purposes and advantages of the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art from the illustrations of a preferred embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawing and the following description thereof.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a scrotal support constructed in accordance with the invention, shown in position of use;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the support;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to these figures:

The device comprises a single unitary plate or sheet, best made of relatively rigid, self-supporting plastic, or of metal having substantially equivalent physical or structural characteristics, formed in generally elongated band shape with a generally concave or depressed central supporting area which is flanked by two similar and equal 'side wings that are adapted to overlie and rest on the thighs of the patient, high up in the region of the groin so that the supporting area is positioned in the crotch and underlies the genitals, keeps them elevated, and thus protects them from depending into a zone in which they might be soiled by fecal discharge.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the concave central supporting area of the member is designated 1 and as shown is forwardly somewhat elongated 3,153,412 Patented Oct. 20., 1964 so as to provide a forwardly projecting portion 2. The rear edge of the member is best disposed in a substantially straight vertical plane, thereby displaying a straight line edge 3 as viewed in top plan (FIG. 2). However, this rear edge is curved doubly and reversely as viewed in rear end elevation, as will be evident from the perspective view of FIG. 1. The two side wings 4, 4, thus formed are narrower than the central supporting area 1 and are preformed in a curvature adapted to fit reasonably snugly over thighs of average size and contour.

While proportions are of some importance, the recommended relationship of central area and wing size and area being that shown in the drawing, the overall size of the device is subject to considerable variation, as will be understood, to accommodate patients of different size; hence size itself is no part of the invention.

As has been stated, the preferred material is any of the well known and widely used rigid or semi-rigid plastics, such as methyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, phenolic condensation resins, etc. It is preferable to provide this material in clear transparent form so that cleaning is facilitated.

Optionally the device may be made of suitable metal, such as aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium alloy, etc.

It is recommended that the device be used in combination with a disposable paper towel or analogous covering sheet. This is desirable as somewhat promoting the comfort of the patient and as facilitating cleaning the device.

It will be evident, it is believed, that the device can be so adjusted on the patient as to drain urine from the forwardly projecting extension 2 into the bed pan or toilet bowl. For this purpose this extension may be downwardly bent more or less as indicated at 5 in FIG. 4.

It will be appreciated that the device is extremely simple in structure, being a unitary band of relatively thin but form-retaining sheet material having its central area depressed to form a suitable supporting pocket and having its side wings appropriately curved to fit with reasonable snugness on the patients thighs, having its rear edge forming a straight line in a vertical plane and having its front edge extending generally straight in a vertical plane in the wing portion but projecting considerably forward in the central supporting area. The extreme ends may be rounded as shown in the drawing in order to eliminate sharp or pointed edges that might inflict some discomfort on the patient.

The invention has been shown and described in a specific and preferred form of embodiment that has been tested and found to give satisfaction. The specific form thus selected to illustrate the invention is capable of some modification within the broad principles of the invention, and all such modifications, to the extent that they incorporate the principles and features recited by the appended claims, are to be deemed within the scope and purview thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A scrotal support device for application to a male patient lying back down in supine position comprising a body of relatively rigid thin sheet material having upper and lower side edges and a depressed concave relatively narrow portion extending from the central portion of the lower side edge adapted to underlie and support the genitals of the patient, said body having oppositely laterally extending relatively long wing portions each of which is convexly curved to overlie a tight of the patient, the upper edge of the body lying in a substantially straight vertical plane and the lower edges of the wing portions being parallel to said upper edge and aligned with each other, said centrally'depressed concave supporting portion being extended from the lower edge a distance substantially equal to the Width of the Wing portions, thus providing for said supporting portion increased length and adequate surface area for supporting the genitals and facilitating the draining of urine from the body of the device.v

2. A scrotal support device as claimed in claim 1 in provided with a terminal end portion which is bent downwardlyand tapered to a blunt point for insertion into a bed pan.

References Cited by'the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS whichthe depressed concave relatively narrow portion is 15 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SCROTAL SUPPORT DEVICE FOR APPLICATION TO A MALE PATIENT LYING BACK DOWN IN SUPINE POSITION COMPRISING A BODY OF RELATIVELY RIGID THIN SHEET MATERIAL HAVING UPPER AND LOWER SIDE EDGES AND A DEPRESSED CONCAVE RELATIVELY NARROW PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE LOWER SIDE EDGE ADAPTED TO UNDERLIE AND SUPPORT THE GENITALS OF THE PATIENT, SAID BODY HAVING OPPOSITELY LATERALLY EXTENDING RELATIVELY LONG WING PORTIONS EACH OF WHICH IS CONVEXLY CURVED TO OVERLIE A TIGHT OF THE PATIENT, THE UPPER EDGE OF THE BODY LYING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT VERTICAL PLANE AND THE LOWER EDGES OF THE WING PORTIONS 